Young Adults' Group

Rejoice With Exceedingly Great Joy

by Pastor Mark
December 25, 2018

A Blessed and Joyous Christmas

It is Christmas! I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a blessed and joyous Christmas. The theme of joy has been most enlightening to study. We have been learning new insights from Pastor Charles about joy these last two months. In fact, part of the joy is learning these new lessons in themselves. Even as we celebrate Christmas, it is good to review what we have learnt and how we have sought to apply these lessons.

The theme of rejoicing with exceedingly great joy

What were some of the lessons that have become a blessing to my own heart and life?

1. The promise of joy has a ripple effect

“And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.” (Luke 1:14)

The promise of joy was given to Zacharias. The Lord answered his prayer by giving him a son. This was his joy. The joy was not meant only for Zacharias. This promise of joy was meant to have a rippling effect. It was meant to spread from Zacharias to others in the family, to the community and even to the nation of Israel. Zacharias’ son, John, would become the forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ who would become the Saviour of the world. Let us rejoice in knowing that the promise of joy is really meant to ripple to the whole world.

2. Joy in seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary

“Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” (Luke 1:28)

When the angel Gabriel gave these words to Mary, he was trying to help Mary to understand the joy of seeing in the ordinary, the potential of the extraordinary. In receiving ordinary things, such as the greeting that the angel Gabriel gave to Mary or the grace of the Lord given in showing her favour, there was the potential of the extraordinary. Mary would have a baby boy. But from seemingly an ordinary baby, there was the future potential of the extraordinary…He would grow to become the Saviour of the world. What a wonderful joy for us to see this potential in our children, our god-children, our nephews and nieces and the children in church whom we care for…the future potential of the extraordinary!

3. The depth of joy that reaches the soul

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.” (Luke 1:46–47)

Mary was able to magnify the Lord with her spirit because she was able to experience joy that reaches to the soul. It was not a superficial kind of joy. There was depth of understanding of God’s plan for her. She was conscious of her lowly state as a handmaiden of the Lord. She was conscious of the greatness of God. And as she discovered God’s plan and will for her life…that she would be the mother of the Son of God, there was such joy that filled her soul. Have we discovered God’s plan and will for our life too? Let us seek to find this depth of joy.

4. “Let us go”

“Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” (Luke 2:15)

After the angels revealed to the shepherds the good news of great joy…that Christ the Saviour had been born, they encouraged each other with these words, “Let us go…” The Greek word is “dierchomai” which means to “depart, go”. There is the use of the hortatory subjunctive. The phrase “Let us go” is seen as an encouragement to check things out and to find this joy. But there is still a measure of uncertainty…which means that it would be a mistake to think that joy is a given. We need to do our part to verify and confirm this joy. Have we been able to prove this great joy of Christmas? Let us be challenged to experience a truly joyous Christmas.

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